Housing Crisis Causes

Lately, First Nations people in Canada have been faced with many issues surrounding their living conditions, rights, and resources. Specifically, in Attawapiskat, a community located in the western Hudson Bay Lowland, they are facing a housing crisis. The housing conditions aren’t liveable, with one house containing 1 family including, immediate and non-immediate family. Families aren’t just living in houses, they are living in used donated trailers. The houses don’t have access to running clean water, or a significant source of heat. Above all, these houses are in need of desperate repairs as they are falling apart. The communities not only have bad housing but they are need

Atlantic Times staff writer, Alana Semuels, gives her opinion on how America can reduce the number of homeless famlies in her article “The Best Way to End Homelessness”. According to Alana Semuels, America has the largest number of homeless women and children in the industrial world. (Cite) She mentions how the government has attempted to solve homelessness by initiating many different studies and programs. "The Best Way to End Homelessness " lists initiatives such as housing choice vouchers, temporary rental assistance, time limited housing, or interventions. It is Alana Semuels belief that the best solution is Housing Choice Vouchers, which provides money to a family for an permanent house (cite?). This option may seem expensive in comparison

There has to be a realistic solution that can be put into motion to benefit everyone involved. Referring again to his article “Is Gentrification All Bad?” Davidson argues that urban renewal, if done right, is not a monstrous custom that it is painted to be; nevertheless, he reasons that gentrification depends on who does it, how they do it, and why they do it. As a resident in New York, a city where gentrification is as widespread as the common cold in winter, Davidson speculates that those who go into a neighborhood with the intention to renovate houses, or abandoned buildings ought to have a good reason for it. The author points out that “Gentrification does not have to be something that one group inflicts on another…” (Davidson 349), rather, he suggests that everyone, the gentrifiers and the locals, be on the same page when it comes to developing their

Homelessness can be understood in the perspective of conflict theory, which holds that capitalism is one the main reason for homelessness.

Homelessness is the condition of people without a permanent dwelling. It is an uncontrollable issue around the world and influences different ages of people. Homelessness can be divided into two camps which is structural causes and individual causes .Structural causes is the causes that related to social and economic in nature, or out of the control of the individual or family concerned and individual factors are causes that applied by individual to the personal circumstances. Should the problem of homelessness be framed as one of theindividual choice and responsibility or should it be framed a one of structural factors? Is there any interaction between individual factors and structural factors? Homelessness affects thousand across Malaysia. People who are homeless are typically blamed for their homelessness. Homelessness is not a new issue as it has already existed for many years ago and the existence of homeless people is often being ignored. The reasons why they end up sleeping on the streets is largely because of individual factors (Main, 1998), which is contributed by structural factors (Cyndy Baskina, 2007). It is unsure whether homeless people choose to end their lives in this way or are among the victims of situations?

Homelessness is a product of social inequalities. Karl Marx stated that the capitalist society produces two prominent classes which are in conflict with each other, bourgeoisie and proletariats. The bourgeoisie are the oppressors who own the means of production and the proletariats are the oppressed workers who labor for the bourgeoisie. Capitalism is distinguished not by privilege but instead by individuality of property ownership and that those who create the conditions of the oppressed group express this power in the form of laws that function to serve the bourgeoisie’s interests (Marx, 2004, p.129). Therefore, capitalism is responsible for the manifestation of certain social conditions that have led to homelessness. (Marx)

Housing discrimination and segregation have long been present in the American society (Lamb and Wilk). The ideals of public housing and home buying have always been intertwined with the social and political transformation of America, especially in terms of segregation and inequality of capital and race (Wyly, Ponder and Nettking). Nevertheless, the recent unrest in Ferguson, Missouri and in Baltimore due to alleged police misconduct resulting to deaths of black men brought light on the impoverished conditions in urban counties in America (Lemons). This brings questions to the effectiveness of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in devising more fair-housing facilities (Jost). Thus, we need a new housing policy that will address not only the discriminate housing problem, but also urban poverty in general.

As outlined in chapter 10 of the course text, inequality in housing and wealth is a major problem. The United States is described to be the most unequal countries in the western hemisphere. But with the inequalities when it comes to wealth, the United States is one of the richest countries in the world. Wealth is the sum total of a person’s assets. These assets include, cash in the bank and value of all properties, not only land but houses, cars, stocks, and bonds, and retirements savings. Wealth is one of the factors why residential segregation is an increasing problem.

After the great depression and the crash of 2008, the number of homeless people has risen. Luckily, during recent times, the rate of homelessness has decreased. However, the economy is still deeply affected by homelessness through housing and sheltering projects and medical issues. These costs a lot of money and negatively affects the economy.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless population in United States suffers from a form of severe mental illness (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). Mental illness is the third largest cause of homelessness for single adults. (National Coalition for the Homeless). People with mental illness who become homeless lack both proper medications for the illness and suffer from extreme psychological problems. It is often a challenge hosting and caring for individuals with mental illness because they suffer from mental issues such as delusions and bizarre conduct. The problem is that not enough is being done to deal with the growing population of untreated individuals who are left on the streets to fend for themselves. These patients are a problem to themselves and their respective communities. Their unpredictable behaviors threaten their well-being and the safety of fellow citizens. Those with mental illness are unable to function on a basis that allows them to take care of themselves, as a result their chances of survival are unpredictable. Those who are mentally ill are at an unstable position of survival because they lack the ability to be independent, such as providing for their everyday needs.

The issue of homelessness in America has been evident since the early 1600’s. Across the country men, women and children spend their nights on the streets not knowing when or if they will ever find a permanent home. States and federal officials or city councils have tried to alleviate or at least reduce the number of homeless over the last several decades at a city, state or national level but it continues to be an ongoing problem. There is a multitude of factors that account for the growing homeless population that affects each state in the country differently. Though there are many contributing factors that contribute to the amount of people living on the street at any given night in the U.S. An effective way to address the problem of homelessness in America is to continue creating affordable housing, maintaining assistance programs, and continue creating workforce

Looking at society as a whole with individual units that work together to make society function efficiently is the structural functionalism concept. Each unit has a part and is describe as institutions such as family, religion, education, politics, economy and inequality. Because structural functionalism looks at social structure and patterns of behavior it is able to create values for society. As well as, distinguish between visible and suppressed problems within the social structures that may need to be addressed. For instance, homelessness is indication of dysfunction in structural functionalism system.

Without basic needs people would not be able to survive and prosper in their lives. I support the idea of free housing because there are many people that are homeless or could not afford accommodations; however, I do not support the idea of achieving free housing by taxing people or taking their property. I agree that taxing is a form of theft because people give their property unwillingly, while they have earned it with their labor, time and talent. I support Nozick’s idea of self-ownership that people should be able to do what they want with their property. That is why I go against the method of taxing; however, I still believe free housing should be achieve. I believe that the best way of solving this would be creating a non profit foundation with a goal of providing homeless and poor people with accommodations. Building houses for many people may be a little out of reach because it would take a lot of resources, I believe a better way is to build a big complex/apartments for people. The article suggests that people does not like living in accommodations like hostels because there are many people and it does not feel like home, which I agree with. However, when you are given free accommodations, I feel like you should not be picky and appreciate it

Social leased, moderate leased and intermediate housing are given to qualified families whose necessities are not met by the business sector (Communities and Local Government 2012). Qualification is resolved with respect to local incomes and local house prices. Reasonable should include provisions to stay at a moderate cost for future qualified families or for the subsidy to be reused for option reasonable housing provision. As characterized in area 80 of the Housing and Regeneration Act of 2008, social rented housing is owned by local authorities and private enlisted providers for which rule target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It might likewise be owned by different persons and provided under

Affordable housing is a necessary requirement in life for people who accept low income and has a good effect for society. According to Tran, (2015) view that, affordable housing is a worthy resource which has great potentialities in the economic system and it has contributed enormously to change the appearance of the metropolis as well as the countryside. The target of affordable housing gives the support to the community. For example, affordable housing can give us benefit in all aspects such as it brings profit in commercial enterprise, improving the standard of animation and an affordable housing can bring down some of the problems which related to the surroundings. As a consequence, the government should make more affordable lodging for